Moving-on

Photo: Layere Grace being led by her husband as they come home with pumpkins from their garden.

44 year old Layere Grace is one of the many landmine victims in Pader district, Northern Uganda. She was hit by a landmine in 2002 while in the garden with her 5 months old daughter Ayaa on her back. Time has passed now and both were able to survive the blast with Layere getting a Right below knee amputation. “I am glad that regardless of all, I managed to survive and my daughter wasn’t hurt. She has now grown into a very good girl and she is in school.

I appreciate my husband for always being here for me. With him, farming gets more interesting.” The couple has 6 children and they grow a variety of crops, including pumpkins, millet, Sim Sim, beans and maize. They also rear goats, pigs and chicken. A number of people have been victims of the landmines that remained after the Kony rebel activities in northern Uganda. Many of them are movin-on with life though it is still taking time for some to cope up.

Layere says that the artificial limbs have contributed much to enabling her continue doing her work. These prosthetics must be replaced every 2-3 years for adults and every 6 months for children due to breakages, falls, rigorous activities like farming and general wear and tear.